Dobie Would ‘Listen’ to Potential Calgary Dinos Offer

WINNIPEG — With the recent hiring of Blake Nill as University of British Columbia Thunderbirds football coach, an opening to lead the Calgary Dinos has presented itself.

That has Manitoba Bisons head coach Brian Dobie remaining open-minded about a potential offer from the west to fill the gap, should they happen to approach him.

“I think you would always listen. Yeah, I… yeah, I’d listen,” Dobie said hesitantly on Tuesday. “This is a really hard question for me to answer, because I love my job… I love Manitoba… I love being at the University of Manitoba. This is my home in more ways than you can imagine.”

Dobie garnered national CIS attention this past season when the Herd won the Hardy Cup and nearly made it to the Vanier Cup — a title Manitoba last won in 2007.

“Opportunities like that are so tempting, there’s no question,” Dobie added of the Calgary coaching vacancy. “But then you play it against — this is going to sound corny — love. I don’t know what else to call it. I love being at the University of Manitoba.”

Dobie, who is on a year-to-year contract, wouldn’t say when his term is up for renewal, but said a lucrative offer from the Dinos would be something he would have to consider from all angles, including from a family standpoint.

Dobie was named to the Manitoba High School Hall of Fame on Tuesday in the builders category for his 21-year career coaching at Churchill High School.

Nill replaces Shawn Olson, who was fired by UBC last month after a 2-6 season.